Window ventilating device



iatented May 29, EQM

STAFFS rr otros WINDOW VENTILATING DEVICE Carl F. Doscher.- White Plains, N. Y.

Application F/Iay 25, 1929, Serial N0. 365,823-

li) Claims.

This invention relates to a Window Ventilating device of the type constituting a screen-like c10- sure for the opening formed by the raising and lowering of a Window.

An object of the invention is to provide a deviceof this character which may be quickly and easily moved into and out f a position of use.

A. further object is to so construct the device as to comprise a screen element or part formed of washable cloth, and to make this cloth readily and easily attachable to and detachable from the remainder of the device so that it may be detached, laundered and returned, with ease.

A further object is to provide a carrier for the l screen element or part comprising a spring roller with means by which it may be mounted at one side oi a window frame adapted to hold the screen element wound thereon when not in use but to allow the screen element to be unwound therefrom at will and stretched across the window maintaining a tension to retain the screen element taut.

A further object is to provide simple and cicient means by which to detachably connect the outer end oi the screen element with the window frame when drawn out to a position of use.

A further object is to provide a simple and eiicient casing within which the spring roller is mounted, said casing having means by which 'it may be rmiy connected with the VWindow frame.

A further object is to so construct the screen. element that it will contain a plurality of strain members extending longitudinally from end to end, the main body of cloth comprised in the screen element being supported upon said strain members.

A further object is to provide means by which the spring roller may be easily retained against rotation under the pull of its spring when the screen element has been, or is being, detached.

A further object is to provide means whereby the screen element may be automatically supplied with a quantity of disinfectant.

Other objects and aims of the invention, more or less specific than those referred to above, will be in part obvious and in part pointed out in the course of the following description of the elements, combinations, arrangements of parts and applications of principles constituting the invention; and the scope of protection contemplated will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing which is to betaken as a part of this specication, and in which have shown merely a preferred form of embodiment of the invention:-

Fig. 1 is a front elevational View of a window Ventilating device constructed in accordance with this invention, and showing the same as it appears in position within a window opening.

Fig. 2 is a similar View of the Ventilating device detached, an outer end member being shown separated, and parts being shown in vertical section, all for better disclosure of details of construction.

lTig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken upon the plane of line III-III of Fig. ll.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged horizontal sectional View taken upon the plane of line IV-IV of Fig. 2, the outer end member being here shown attached to the screen element.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the entire device as it appears when the screen element is Wound within the casing, and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail View of a portion or the outer end member.

Referring to the drawing for describing in detail the structure illustrated therein, the reference character L indicates the screen element. The reference character G indicates the spring roller, and the reference character H indicates the casing Within which the spring roller is mounted.

The screen element consists of a piece of woven cloth of suitable texture s0 that in use it will permit passage of a desirable quantity of air back and forth therethrough as will of course be understood. The upper and lower longitudinal edge portions of the piece of cloth are turned over upon themselves and stitched to provide longitudinally extending hems as 1-1.

A suitable number of strain members as 2-2 are arranged longitudinally of the cloth, there being three such members shown in the drawing herewith one being centrally located and the others being arranged just inside of the margins of the hems 1 1. p

These strain members may conveniently consist of pieces of cloth tape stitched directly to the body material of the screen element. i

In order to prevent unnecessary thicknesses of material the outer strain members do not overlap the hems l-l but extend parallel therewith. The hems furnish the necessary strength to hold the cloth of the screen element against sagging in the regions beyond the outer strain members.

At its inner end the screen element or cl-oth is shaped to provide a hem or the like as 3 which forms vertically extending pocket as 4 within which is positioned a iiat metallic rod 5. The hem or the like 3 constitutes a vertical re-inforcement at the inner end of the screen element with which the adjacent ends of the strain members 2-2 are firmly connected. The metallic rod 5 of course adds stiffness and strength t-o this reinforcement.

At spaced points vertically along the length of the hem 3 said hem is provided with lateral openings as 6 6 giving access into the pocket 4 and to the rod 5 in said pocket.

Fixed to the roller G is a set of straps 7--7, there being one such strap for each of the openings 6. These straps are of loop formation as best seen in Fig. 4, that is to say that each consists of a suitable length of material, such as cloth, tape or the like, folded upon itself and having its two ends fastened to the roller, as at 8. The loose end thus forms a closed loop, and these closed loops are adapted to extend into the openings 6 of the screen element and to receive the rod 5 threaded therethrough, as clearly seen in Fig. 4.

The rod 5 is slidably removably positioned within the pocket 4, and may thus be slid into or out of engagement within said pocket, and with the loops of the straps 7, at will. When the rod is in position within the pocket and threaded through all of the straps it of course constitutes al positive connection between the straps and the screen element and it incidently also properly transmits strains between the strain members 2 and the straps 7 so that the pull of the spring roller is imposed upon the inner ends of all of the strain members 2 uniformly.

Y At its outer end the screen element or cloth is shaped to provide a hem or the like as 9 which forms a vertically extending pocket as l0 within which is positioned a round rod as 11. The hem or the like 9 constitutes a vertical reinforcement at the outer end of the screen element with which the adjacent ends of the strain members 2 -2 are rmly connected. The metallic rod 11 of course adds stiiness and strength to this re- Y inforcement.

A separately formed outer end member 12 is Aprovided for engaging about the hem 9 and rod n screen element when moving it onto and -off of the roller G. This end member also provides one or more keyhole slots as 13 adapted to engage over mating screw heads or other suitable fastening devices as 14 carried by the window frame whereby to hold the screenv element in its position of use stretched across the window opening 15. It also provides a pair of stops as 16-16 for engaging against appropriate parts as 30-30 of the casing H to limit inward movement of the screen element when the screen element is drawn into the casing by the spring roller. n

As a convenient means by which to detachably connect the outer end member 12 with the screen element said end member is preferably formed to provide a longitudinally extending groove or pocket as 1'7 having a restricted opening 18 along one side thereof, the pocket being adapted to longitudinally slidably receive the rod 11 and the adjacent part of the hem 9, and the opening 18 being adapted to permit passage of the screen element, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 4.

The pocket formed by hem 9 to receive the rod 11 is closed at its lower end as at 19 so that by introducing the lower end of the hem and rod into the upper end of the pocket 1'7 the hem and rod may be readily slid downwardly into the pocket 17 to thus connect the member 12 with the screen element.

Whenever it is desired to launder the screen element said screen element may be readily disconnected from the roller G by simple withdrawal of the flat rod 5. |Then by sliding the outer end member 12 off of the rod 11 and then sliding the rod 11 out of its hem, the screen element remains as a simple piece of cloth ready for laundering, after which it may be as easily again returned to use.

The roller casing H may take any appropriate form, but preefrably consists of a main cylindrical member as 20 and top and bottom caps 21 and 22 respectively.

The caps 21 and 22 have marginal flange portions which lap about the sides of the cylindrical member and serve to hold it in position. The overlapping portions may be conveniently provided with registering projections and seats as indicated at 23 whereby the natural tendency of the cylindrical member to expand against the inner surface of the flanges will serve to hold the flanges connected with the cylindrical member readily detachable whenever necessary by simply compressing the cylindrical member so as to disengage the projection thereof from the seats in the flanges.

Any other suitable means may be utilized for the purpose of holding the caps in place if preferred.

The upper cap 21 is provided with an upstanding lug 24 which is adapted to lie flat against an adjacent surface 25 of the window frame and to be fixed thereto by an appropriate fastening device as for instance the screw 26.

The lower cap 22 is likewise provided with an extending lug 27 which is adapted to lie flat against the adjacent surface 28 of the window sill and to be xed thereto by an appropriate fastening device as for instance the screw 29. This cap also has an extension as 31 which provides a surface as 32 for resting flat against the adjacent portion of the vertical surface 25 of the window frame. The surface 32 extends to both sides of the plane of a line perpendicular to the surface 25 intersecting screw 29, and hence enables the single screw 29 to retain the lower end of the casing against objectionable rotary movement about the screw 29.

The cylindrical member 2O is of course provided with an opening as 33 longitudinally at one side thereof through which the screen element freely moves when being wound upon or unwound from the roller G. This opening is amply wide to -permit easy passage of all parts of the screen element, and even of the hem 3 and of the pocket-forming portion 17 of the outer end member 12. It however is not sufficiently wide to permit movement of the stops 16-16 of said end member therethrough, and here it may be noted that when these stops engage the portions -30 of the casing as heretofore mentioned there is a vertically extending rib or flangelikel portion as 34 of the outer end member standing spaced outwardly from the casing and constituting a very convenient and efficient finger grip which may be readily gripped by an operator whenever withdrawal of the screen element from the casing is desired. The distance to which the ringer grip 34 stands beyond the casing is determined by the distance between said finger grip and the bumper surface portions of the stops 16, as will be readily understood.

UTI

The roller G' may be of' any approved type. It preferably however is of the well known type ordinarily used for window shades, commonly known as Hartshorn rollers, the spring element as 35 being contained within a bore of the roller, and there being opposite end projections as 36 and 37 for engaging the caps 21 and 22 respectively, in the same manner as the Hartshorn roller is ordinarily mounted within brackets on a window frame. The projection 36 is a simple cylindrical pin engaging within a circular bearing as 38 provided in cap 21, while the projection 37 is ofrectangular form, the opening as 39 in the cap 22 for receiving it being likewise rectangular and said projection 37 being rotatably mounted in the roller and connected with one end of the spring 35 the opposite end of the spring being connected with the roller.

The usual dogs or latches common to Hartshorn rollers may be employed with respect to the member 37 or not as preferred, it being noted that such clogs would be in-operatve with the rollers in the vertical position which the present roller occupies when in use. The dogs might be useful nevertheless at times prior to attachment of the device in operative position onto a window frame and hence their presence upon the roller is not objectionable.

One or all of the straps 7 7 may have its two leads stitched together at a point intermediate its ends as illustrated at 40 and this is desirable as providing means facilitating retention of the roller against return rotation under tension of the spring during the time while the screen element is being removed, laundered, or while being returned. During this time any stiff rod-like element, such as a ruler or even an ordinary lead pencil, may be thrust between the leads of the strip back of the stitching so as to provide a solid stop to engage the casing adjacent opening 33 for preventing movement of the strap into the casing, the outer end portion of the strap, and in fact of allof the straps, remaining entirely without the casing where they are accessible for easy and convenient manipulation with respect to the pockets 6 and rod 5, as hereinabove recited.

The outer end member l2 constitutes a convenient and eiiicient element which may be threaded. through the auxiliary loo-p provided by stitching 4G for retaining the straps projecting out of the casing as just mentioned.

In some instances it may be desirable to prolvide a supply of medicant or the like to the screen element so that air moving through the screen into a room will be puried or charged with a desirable medium to improve its condition.

Any suitable means may be employed for applying such a medicant or the like to the screen element, but preferably the medicant is applied to said element while and whenever the element is contained within the casing so that the simple act of moving the screen element back and forth in the casing will suiiice to apply the medicant thereto. To this end the drawing herewith suggests that the cylindrical portion of the casing 20 be provided with an auxiliary chamber as 41 extending longitudinally along one side thereof and communicating with the main interior of the casing through a restricted opening as 42. A wick-like device as 43 may be arranged within the chamber 41 saturated with medicant, a portion as 44 of said wick-like device projecting 'l through the opening 42 and into the main interior of the casing" into a position where it constitutes a wiper for rubbing against the screen element whenever the screen element is wound onto or oi oi the roller G.

In some instances it may be desirable to hold the longitudinal edge portion of the screen element fixed with respect to the window frame when in a position of use. For this purpose the drawing suggests the use of one or more small hooks as 45 projecting upwardly from the window sill surface 28 and adapted to engage within corresponding eyelets as 46 carried by the screen element.

It is noted that while this device is shown and described with respect to an opening as 15 provided at the lower portion of a window frame by the upward movement of the lower sash 47 of the window, it might equally as well be utilized as a closure for an opening provided at the upper portion of a window frame by the lowering of the upper sash or" the window. In fact the device may obviously be used for shielding any opening through a window frame or otherwise.

As many changes could be made in this construction without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description, or shown in the accompanying drawing, shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

1. In a Ventilating device comprising a Wash- Y able cloth screen element intended to be stretched across a ventilator opening, a roller upon which said screen element is adapted to be wound when not in use, the combination therewith of connections between the roller and the inner end of the screen element of a character to hold said inner end readily releasably connected with the roller, a separately formed outer end member for the screen element constituting a nger grip by which the screen element may be drawn from the roller, and connections between said outer end member and the adjacent end of the screen element also of a character to hold said outer end member readily releasably connected with the screen element, all whereby the screen element is readily separable from the remainder of. the 1 nections consisting of a pocket-forming hem proj" vided in the screen element having a plurality of lateral openings thereinto, a plurality of flexible straps attached to the roller each having a loop portion extending into one of the openings into the pocket of said hem, and a metallic rod in f said pocket threaded through the loops of said straps and being readily insertible into and removable from said pocket by sliding longitudinally of the pocket.

3. In a Ventilating device comprising a washj s able cloth screen element intended to be stretched across a ventilator opening, a spring roller upon which said screen element is adapted to be wound when not in use, the combination therewith of pocket-forming hems at its opposite ends of said screen element, a metallic rod slidably insertible into and .removable from each pocket, a plurality of strain members spaced apart and extending longitudinally of the screen element connected by their opposite ends with said hems, and a plurality of straps extending laterally from the roller and connected to said screen by engagement with one of said metallic rods, said screen being releasable by outward sliding of said rod from its pocket.

4. In a Ventilating device comprising a washable cloth screen element intended to be stretched across a ventilator opening, a spring roller upon which said screen element is adapted to be wound when not in use, the combination therewith of a plurality of strain members extending longitudinally of said screen element spaced apart thereon, a metallic rod at each end of the screen element and to which the opposite ends of said strain members are connected, a connecting device between the roller and one of said metallic rods, and means whereby said connecting device is readily releasable.

5. In a Ventilating device comprising a roller screen element adapted to be wound onto and unwound from a roller, and a casing within which said roller is operably mounted, the combination therewith of means carried by the casing and arranged for supplying a medicant to said screen element during movement thereof onto and off of the roller.

6. In a Ventilating device comprising a roller screen element adapted to be wound onto and unwound from a roller, and a casing within which said roller is operably mounted, the combination therewith of means for supplying a medicant to said screen element during movement thereof onto and oi of the roller, said means comprising a medicant container carried by the casing having an opening therefrom into the casing, and a wick device arranged within said container and having a wiper portion projecting through the opening into position for rubbing against the screen element whenever the screen element is moved onto and off of the roller.

'7. In a Ventilating device comprising a washable cloth screen element intended to be stretched across a ventilator opening, a roller upon which said screen element is adapted to be wound when not in use, the combination therewith of connections between the roller and the screen-element of a character to hold the screen element readily releasably connected with the roller, said connections consisting of a plurality of flexible straps connected with the roller each having an opening through its outer end, and a single meniber connected with the screen element and having parts to extend through the openings of all of said straps.

8. In a Ventilating device comprising a washable cloth screen element intended to be stretched across a ventilator opening, a roller upon which said screen element is adapted to be wound when not in use, the combination therewith of connections between the roller and the screen element of a character to hold the screen element readily releasably connected with the roller, said connections consisting of a plurality of flexible straps connected with the roller each having an opening through its outer end, and a single member connected with the screen element and having parts to extend through the openings of all of said straps, together with a rod-like member normally carried by the screen element to hold said element in one condition but detachable from said element to permit laundering of said element, said rod-like member being of a character so that when detached from the screen element it may be positioned through the opening in at least one of said straps for engaging the casing to thereby retain the roller against rotation in one direction while the screen element is detached.

9. In a Ventilating device comprising a Washable cloth screen element intended to be stretched across a ventilator opening, a roller upon which said screen element is adapted to be wound when not in use, the combination therewith of connections between the roller and the screen element of a character to hold the screen element readily releasably connected with the roller, said connections consisting of a plurality of flexible straps connected with the roller each having an opening through its outer end, the screen element having a hem extending along one edge thereof formed with lateral openings each to receive an outer end of one of said exible straps, and a rod longitudinally slidably removably positioned in said hem extending through the openings in said straps.

10. In a device of the class described, comprising a casing through an opening in a wall of which a Ventilating screen cloth may be slid into or out of the casing, the combination therewith of means carried by the easing adjacent to said opening of a character to supply a medicant to said screen element during movement of the screen element through said opening.

CARL F. DOSCHER. 

